Tie-plate rail anchor



July 31, 1923.v v H. STEPHENS TIE PLATE RAIL ANCHOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 21, 1925 INVEN TOR.

sir-4' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H STEPHENS TIE PLATE RAIL ANCHOR Filec1 Maroh '21 1923 July 31,1923

. INVENTOR, -flzzzfy fife and BY 36 m v- 944 ATTORNEYS Patented July 31, 1223.

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HENRYv STEPHENS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

. TIE-PLATE BAIL ANCHOR.

Application filed March 21, 1923. Serial No. 626,527..

combined tie'plateiand rail anchor for railroad rails and more particularly the invention relates 'to the. particular form of the anchor member and the method of mounting the same on the tie plate so as to serve as an anchor in both directions. Provision is also made to overcome the normal Wear between rail and tie plate so as to prevent the anchor from coming loose. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, sa'id invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention,

such disclosed means constituting, however,

but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used. I

In said accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a tie plate and rail showing the anchor member in elevation; Fig. 2 is a' plan view of a section of rail on the tie plate'with the anchor member in place; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively but showing'a modified form of anchor member and slot; Fig. 6 is a section on the line. 6-6 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a frag- Inentary view showing the normal and en'- gaging positions of the jaws of the anchor member.

As illustrated, there is shown the usual tie plate 1 having an abutment or shoulder. 2, the rail resting on the plate with the outer.

a double trapezoidwith the narrow parts connected forming a six sided slot, narrow at the center, which is substantially in line with the inner edge 7' of the base flange of. the rail. The two outer sides 8 of the slot are cut at an angle so that the slot is wider at the top than atv the bottom as is best shown in Fig. 3. An anchor member 10 is mounted in the slot, the member 'beingU- shaped with a slot therein to receive the rail base flange. The lower portion 11 of the member is of substantially the thickness of the tie plate and the member is wide enough to fit fairly snugly in the narrow portion of the slot. The upper portion 12 1 of the member has its lower or flange engaging surface 13 formed at an angleso as to engage with the sloping upper surface of the base flange of the rail but, as shown in Fig. 7 the angle between the two portions, of the anchor member is less thanthe angle between the lower and upper surfaces of the base flange of the rail. The anchor member is formed of spring steel andmay be driven on said base flange and the angle, .as shown in Fig. 7, is )thG same for both forms of anchor members.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the gage end of the slot is formed on a curve and with a radius less than the distance between the center line and the end of the slot so that as the member tends to pivot around about the center line it will be forced tighter onto the base-flange. Furthermore, in any tipping action of the anchor member which may occur as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the edges of the member tend to dig into or grip the base flange tighter.

The form shown in Figs, 4 to 6 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 but here the anchor member 20 is more nearly V-shaped,

the two legs 21 being similar and having their end faces 22 at right angles to the outer surfaces 23 of the legs so that either face 22 will contact with the end 24 of the slot 25 which is formed like the slot 6 except for the outer end 24' which is arallel with the edge of the base flange of t e rail. The end faces 22 are at an angle to the plane of the sides ofthe member and the anchor member is normally placed at an acute angle to the line of the base flange and toward the end of the rail opposite to the 'movement of the rail which itis desired to resist. Thus in Fig. 5' the movement of the railwhioh will be prevented would be move- Q i c raeaeae ment toward the top of the sheet which would tend to pivot the member 20 about the center line of the slot and force it tighter onto the flange.

It will be notedthat the anchor member is free to move inwardly of the slot as the member is slightly shorter than the slot. In placing the present device on a rail the tie plate is inserted under the rail, with the anchor member in place and the tie plate and member are driven into position from the gage side of the rail until the base flange of the rail drops into position behind the abutments 2. With the type of slot and anchor member illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the mem her is normally at right angles to the base flange. In the form shown in'Figs. 4-. and 5, the member-is at an angle and it is merely necessary to reverse the member to present the same to resist movement in the other di rection. i y

In the present device the anchor member is permitted to have vertical movement with the rail independently of the tie plate, but

movement transversely of the rail is pre-' vented as the anchor holds the ,rail' tightly against the tie plate shoulders or abutments. Wear between the base flange and the abutments is automatically compensated for by the spring action of the anchor itself and slight transverse movement of the tie plate due to loose spikes does not afl'ect the hold ing power of the anchor except as it might force the member tighter on the base flange,

The present anchor is mounted on the gauge side of the rail and this is antimportant feature as where similar types of anchor members have been employed on the opposite side they quickly loosen and become inefl'ective if the tie plate moves outwardly and as the tendency is always to force. the rail and tie plate outwardly, that is to widen the gauge, an anchor member on the outside has been found unsatisfactory. The present tie plate and anchor members are easy to manufacture and the slot in the tie plate is merely punched out when the spike apertures are formed while the anchor mem- 'bers are punched or cut out of spring steel stock. I

@ther modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of rail, such slot being narrower at the center than at'the ends, and an anchor member provided with base flange engaging members mounted in such slot and adapted to pivot about the narrow center thereof.

2. In a tie plate rail anchor, the combination of a tie late having an abutment on one side and a ot on the gage side of the rail, such 'slot being narrower at the center than at the ends, and an anchor member provided with base flange engaging members mounted in such slot and adapted to pivot about the narrow center thereof, the end of such mem her being adapted to contact the end of the slot to force the member tighter on the base gange during pivotal movement of the mem- 3. In a tie platerail anchor, the combination of a tie plate having an abutment on the outer side and a slot on the gage side such slot being in the shape of a double trapezoid with its narrow portion at the centerand approximately in line with the gage edge of the'rail base flange,'and an anchor member of spring steel having a slot adapted to receive the base flange of the rail, said member being mounted in such slot and adapted to pivot about such narrow center portion, the gage end of saidmember contactting the end of such slot to force said member tighter on said rail during pivoting movement.

4. In a tie plate rail anchor, the combination of a tie plate having an abutment on the outer side anda slot on the gage side, such slot being in the shape of a double trapezoid with its narrow portion at the center and approximately in line with the gage edge of the rail'base flange, and an anchor member of spring steel-having a slot adapted to receive the base flange of the rail, said member being mounted in such slot and adapted to pivot about such narrow center portion, the gage end of such slot and anchor member being so formed as to force said member tighter on the base flange of said rail during pivotal movement of said member.

5. In a tie plate rail anchor, the combination of a tie )late having an abutment on one side and a s ot on the gage side of the rail,

N such slot being narrower at the center than at the ends, and an anchor member provided with base flange en aging members mounted in such slot and a apted to pivot about the narrow center thereof, the portion of such slot on the gage side of the base flange being wider at the top than at the bottom to allow said member to pivot about a horizontal and increase its gripping effect on the rai v 6. In a tie plate rail anchor, the combinationof a tie plate having an abutment on the'outer side and a slot on the gage side, such slot being in the shape of a double trapezoid with its narrow portion at the center and approximately in line with the gage edge of the rail base flange, and an anchor member of spring steel having a slot adapted to receive the base flange of the rail, said member being mounted in such slot and adapted to pivot about such narrow center portion, the gage end of said member contacting the end of such slot to force 'said member tighter on said rail during pivoting movement, the portion of such slot on the gage side of the base flange being wider at the top than at the bottom to allow said member to pivot about a horizontal axis and increase its gripping effect on the rail.

7. In a. tie late rail anchor, the combinationof a tie plate having an abutment on the outerside and a slot on the gage side, such slot being in the shape of a double trapezoid with the narrow portion approximately in line with the gage edge of the base flange of the rail, and an anchor member adapted to fit in such slot and be driven into place with said tie plate, said member having a V-shaped slot to receive the base flange and having its engaging surfaces at a less angle that the angle of the surfaces of the rail base flange.

8. In a tie plate rail anchor, the combination of a tie plate having an abutment on the outer side and a slot on the gage side, such slot being in the shape of a double trapezoid with the narrow portion approximately in line with the gage edge of the base flange ofthe rail, and an anchor member adapted to fit in such slot and be driven into place with said tie plate, said member having a V-shaped slot to receive the base flange and having its engaging surfaces at a less angle than the angle of the surfaces of the rail base flange, said member having its gage end in contact with the gage end of the slot and being adapted to pivot about the narrow center of such slot to force the member into tighter engagement with the base flange.

9. In a tie plate rail anchor, the combination of a tie plate having an abutment on the outer side and a slot on the gage side, such slot being in the shape of a double trapezoid with the narrow portion approximately in line with the gage edge of the base flange'of the rail, and an anchor member adapted to fit in such slot and be driven into'place with said tie plate, said member having a V-shaped slot to receive the base flange and having its engaging surfaces at a less angle than the angle of the surfaces of the real base flange, said member having its gage end in contact with the gage end of the slot and being adapted to pivot about the narrow center of such slot, the end of said anchor member and slot being-s0 formed as to force the member onto the rail base flange during such pivotal movement.

10. In a tie plate rail anchor, the combination of a tie plate having an abutment on the outer side and a slot on the gage side, such slot being in the shape of a double trapezoid with the narrow portion approximately in line with the gage edge of the base flange of the rail, and an anchor member adapted to fit in such slot and be driven into place with said tie plate, said member having a V-shaped slot to receive the base flange and having its engaging surfaces at a less angle than the angle of the surfaces of the rail base flange, said member having its gage end in contact with the gage end of the slot and being adapted to pivot about the narrow centerof such slot, said anchor being normally placed at an angle to the edge of the base flange and having its end so shaped as to force the member tighter on the rail during pivotal movement about the center of such slot.

11. In-a tie plate rail anchor, the combination of a tie plate having an abutment on the outer side and a slot on the gage side, such slot being in the shape of a double trapezoid with the narrow portion approximately in line with the gage edge of the base flange of the rail, and an anchor member adapted to fit in such slot and be driven into place with said tie plate, said member having a V-shaped slot to receive the base flange and having its engaging surfaces at a' less angle than the angle of the surfaces of the rail base flange, said member having its gage end in contact with the gage end of the. slot and being adapted to pivot about the narrow center of such slot, said anchor being normally placed at an angle to the edge of the base flange and having its end so shaped as to force the member tighter on the rail during pivotal movement about the center of such slot, the anchor being reversible to allow it to be placed at the same angle to the base flange but in the opposite direction to act as an anchor against movement of the rail in either direction.

Signed by me this 19th day of March, 1923.

HENRY STEPHENS. 

